Midnight in Montgomery
by 1V4N3V4N5
Summary: Rated M for Sniper/Scout. Late for Halloween.


The Finger Trees

Quick-thought fan fiction.

I DO NOT OWN Team Fortress 2 ™

I DO NOT OWN Midnight in Montgomery ™ by Alan Jackson.

Enjoy!

_Midnight in Montgomery, silver eagle, lonely road._

_I was on my way to Mobile for a big New Year's Eve show._

_I stopped for just a minute to see a friend outside of town._

_Put my collar up, I found his name, and felt the wind die down._

Reid slumped in his seat, his truck exiting the main gates of 2-Fort. He breathed out a single sigh to be out of battle, the roaring of his truck almost seemed to be lulling, it was better than awakening to bullets nearly grazing his skull. Reid looked over to Dwayne, his friend ever since he had even gotten the job working as an Engineer for the Reliable Excavation Demolition. Dwayne had gotten the job after he got back from the Korea. Dwayne looked over to Reid.

"You OK there, private?" he asked

"Just a little tickle-stomached," Reid huffed.

"Why?"

"Aw, Hell, I don't know."

Dwayne shrugged and looked back to the road. His fingers seemed to almost glaze the steering wheel, Reid noticed the details in his fingers. They were- or looked, more rather- worn like leather, a few nicks on the knuckles from punching skulls in, rocket hopping, and simply rough housing with the Scouts. Reid then spoke softly.

"How about we pick up Curtis and Jae?" Reid asked.

"I thought it would just be the two of us," Dwayne looked to Reid.

Reid shrugged, then he turned to see a camper van in front by two or more yards. Dwayne lied his hand on the steering wheel and let out a yell, Reid chuckled and as the truck drove to a stop, he got out and knocked on the about-deadbolt door, hearing a few lewd noises from the inside. Reid waited as Dwayne sulked up from the back and waited also.

"Whaddaya want, wankers?" Jae asked, his chest bare.

"We were just wondering if you wanted to come to Montgomery with us," Reid smiled.

Then Curtis, the Scout, walked up, sneering at the Texan. He looked to Jae, Jae shrugged. Curtis was in Jae's 'one-size-fits-all' white t-shirt, it draped in front of his bare thighs. His face was red at his cheeks, sweat dripped down his face to the floor of the camper van. Jae was also this way, but he only had his pants on.

"Why would we want to go to Montgomery?" Curtis asked

"Well, I heard that they were having the Montgomery Biscuits playing someone this week," Curtis' ears perked, "And this is the annual gun show, they have a lot of good guns for sale."

Curtis looked to Jae, Jae raised his eyebrow and then looked to Reid.

"What's in it for us?"

"No one to watch over you."

Curtis gently pulled Jae back into the camper van to discuss the idea. In the meantime, Dwayne looked to Reid, his face a pale pink on his tan cheeks. Once the issue was discussed, Jae opened the door once more to see Reid. Curtis had went back into the back of the van.

"Alright, we'll go," Jae mused.

"Alrighty, then. We'll meet you up at the Motel at 45," Reid smiled.

Jae slinked back into the camper van, he could hear Curtis huff with frustration. Both Dwayne and Reid knew the two where closeted boyfriends. Reid had started to walk to the truck, Dwayne short behind him.

_Then a drunk man in a cowboy hat took me by shiny boots, a Nudi suit and haunting haunted eyes,He said 'Friend it's good to see you, it's nice to know you care'.Then the wind picked up and he was gone,Was he ever really there._

Dwayne picked up his baggage at the end of the harsh road trip, Jae and Curtis short behind. Reid walked to the front of the reception desk, the worn wood seemed to creak at the slightest movement, the receptionist, even more old and worn than the desk itself. The lady looked to Reid with her olden and squinted eyes, plucking the three twenty's from his fingers. Reid smiled weakly and helped Dwayne with the luggage.

Jae and Curtis then spotted a bar across from the lobby, a few over-clad men to be supposedly 'cowboys' in the southern state. Jae then barked out to Dwayne.

"Ey! Pickle-headed drongo!"

Dwayne paused, his knuckles clenched as he turned his head to glare at the Australian. Jae then smirked to get his attention, not to mention a few others turned around, the receptionist seemed to have more attention now.

"We'll stay 'ere. Sides, I need a good drink," Jae smiled and laughed, Curtis smiled and followed after him, carrying the bags with him. Reid had to manually pull at Dwayne's arm to get him from killing the Aussie.

Dwayne grumbled and laid on the horribly colored bed that didn't match the carpet. The stink of cigarette smoke hung in the air as if a trophy to the room. Reid moved over to the blinds to open the window, hoping to air out some of the smell. Dwayne pulled his helmet off his head and had it rested against the lampshade on the wooden table with the whole assortments that the hotels would usually give you. Phonebooks, Bibles, mini notebooks with the ballpoint pen next to it. A menu with scratched off numbers and in sharpie it wrote: "NO LONGER AVAILABLE ".

Dwayne sat up and pulled out miscellaneous objects from his 'buff banner'. None of which were rockets, Reid thanked. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes, pulling one out from the smashed cardboard packaging. He walked over the smaller Texan man, looking outside to the city. He heard whoops and hollers of enjoyment. God knows what they were doing.

"Engie, why did you bring me here?" he asked.

"I don't know, just thought I just-"

Before Reid could finish his sentence, the housemaid came in with the assortments of soaps and shampoos- 'courtesy' of the Motel. The housemaid bowed and then left the two men alone. Dwayne then flicked the end of his cigarette outside.

This was the only time that Reid had felt… well, intimidated.

"Continue…"

Reid looked up to Dwayne, his eyes seemed to lock on their own accord to his. Reid quickly looked away. He stood, wordlessly, he turned around.

"Dwayne, I don't want any drama here, okay?" Reid huffed.

"If you say," Dwayne flicked another time outside the window, "Was just asking."

_'Cause it's midnight in MontgomeryJust hear that __whippoorwill__See the stars light up the purple skyFeel that lonesome chillCause when the wind is right, you'll hear his songsSmell whiskey in the airMidnight in MontgomeryHe's always singing there_

Reid shivered under his work coat, Dwayne was beside him drinking some old Bourbon, Jae and Curtis had left already, doing who knows what in the hotel room. Dwayne huffed a quick breath as he drank the last of the pint. The bartender walked to the man, Dwayne nodded for another glass.

Reid felt guilty, already not enjoying his short vacation. Dwayne was mad because Jae and Curtis were hitching for the ride, Reid knew Dwayne preferred to stay at the fort, drinking some Blu Streak Beer and chatting with the Demoman, he also knew he never liked coming to cities.

The bartender looked from the glass he was polishing to see the two unhappy men. The other men chatted with each other about being a Rebel and how the South was better than the North, saying that they'd win the war if it wasn't for-

"You boys not too satisfied?" he asked.

"No," Reid murmured.

"Well, tell ya what, I know a friend of mine, he has this forest on his ranch that is so-called 'haunted', if ya'll want, I can hook you up tonight. I mean, it IS Halloween for Hell's sake."

Dwayne pulled his head out of his hands, looking up at the man.

"Haunted?" Dwayne asked.

"Yeah, folklore say's so."

"How so, partner?" Reid asked.

The room seemed to dim in tone as they eavesdropped on the conversation, some turned to hear the conversation.

"Well, it used to belong to my friend's Paw, he was a pretty selfish man, so, that basterd took a few girlie's off the street, ate their bodies, an' he fucked dem too."

"Why didn't he sell the house?" Reid asked out of discuss.

"Cause it belonged in the family or some shit, I honestly don't know."

"You mean Old Man Montana's place?" a fellow drinker asked.

"That's the one."

"Oh, boy howdy, ya'll want to hear what happens to yer ass you go up there?"

The room silenced.

"Old Man Montana put a curse on that forest, anyone goes in, no one goes out."

Dwayne slammed down his glass and pulled Reid up by his robotic arm, the crowd stuttered as Dwayne sputtered drunkenly.

"We'll go. We're not pussies, we'll prove that stupid shit psycho-babble-bullshit is a lie."

Reid stuttered as he was yanked and pushed into the truck, the bartender gave the map to Reid, unfortunately, Dwayne was driving. He had drunk a pint and a half. Plenty to get pulled over, Reid gulped and pulled his seatbelt across the chest, worrying if they would even _**make **_it to the forest. Reid looked over to Dwayne, who seemed to have trouble with his seatbelt. He bit his lip and bent over to help the drunken soldier.

Dwayne caught his wrist and grabbed Reid's chin and pulled his face up. Reid silenced his breathing, looking at the red-eyed soldier. Bourbon leaked out with every breath he took, it was almost mind-numbing to Reid.

"Reid, yes or no," Dwayne drunkenly mused.

Reid looked to Dwayne.

"…" Dwayne let go of Reid's wrist, resting his hands at his sides, "never mind…"

Reid sighed and clicked Dwayne's seatbelt shut as the truck roared to life, Reid quietly imagined a better place to be than here.

_Well, I climbed back on that eagle, took one last look aroundThrough red tail lights a shadow moved slow across the groundAnd off somewhere a midnight train is slowly passing byI could hear that whistle moaningI'm so lonesome I could cry_

As they reached the destination, Reid stumbled out of the truck, he had to pat his chest to make sure he was still alive. Dwayne then calmly stood at the foot of the forest, Reid seemed to know this stance, the few words that passed through his head.

"I have seen the belly of the beast…"

He then stayed close to Dwayne, not knowing to believe the folklore or not. He crunched on leaves, the night had become unbelievably cold for an October, the trees only allowed a few sprinkles of moonlight through the thick over brush. Dwayne brushed Reid's hand, as if saying 'I'm here'. A few drunken stumbles and a trip later, Dwayne had to be hulled by Reid.

Reid pulled Dwayne's arm over his left shoulder and onto his right, Dwayne found this to be a more comfortable pose and let Reid be in close-contact with the soldier. Dwayne then found the shack with his slurred eyes, pointing to it, not willing to break the silence. Reid quietly and quickly crouched to the wooden shack. They peered in, looking for any signs of traceable life.

A sudden bark and snarl of an animal made both men fall backward onto their hindquarters. Dwayne put his hand to his chest, sighing just to see it be a dog. Reid seemed a little more timid from the experience. Dwayne snaked his hand to Reid's pulling the limb into an embrace. As they held hands, Reid tried to calm down, but failed miserably. He pulled both himself and Dwayne from the ground and opened the door, the dog ran out, thankfully, it seemed to welcome strangers.

They walked into the foul-smelling shack and saw a horrific sight, several bodies strewn across a fireplace, one in a cot across the place. Blood smeared everywhere. Sure, as an Engineer for an never-ending war, he's seen plenty, but they all respawned. This was horrific. The smell clinked to their noses. The foul smell made Reid go out into the dark and regurgitated his dinner. He looked up as he heard a noise.

"Buster? That you?"

Reid shouted in his mind '_shit shit shit shit __**shit SHIT!**_'

Reid pulled Dwayne with one arm into a small cupboard, barely bigger than the two, Dwayne grumbled and let out a silent groan of agitation. Reid listen closely to the outside, boots heavily stomped against the wood, several horrific squish of a corpse. Then it was all silent. The silence pounded at the two men's ears. Dwayne wrapped his arms around Reid to pull the two together into a even smaller hallowed behind the door, as they found that safe spot, the door swung open with enough momentum to make a rather large 'bang' that shuddered the whole house. Reid quivered and got closer to Dwayne as the man looked around.

Not satisfied, he left with a huff.

Dwayne waited for a minute, then stared at Reid, his body was still shaking violently, he gave a deeper embrace, then lifted him up from the small opening. Reid timidly took his hand as they ran out of the shack. They could hear wolves from far away. Their legs with extra enthusiasm ran as quick as they could, out of that God forsaken place. As they ran faster and faster, they reached the head of the forest, even when they got in, Reid still felt that atmosphere that they felt in the cupboard.

_'Cause it's midnight in MontgomeryJust hear that __whippoorwill__See the stars light up the purple skyFeel that lonesome chillCause when the wind is right, you'll hear his songsSmell whiskey in the airMidnight in MontgomeryHe's always singing thereHe's always singing there_

**MONTGOMERY MANSLAUGHTER**

**Early November 1****st****, 1962 at 2:42 a.m., witnesses say that they seen the suspect, 74 year-old Nathaniel Black-Montana, the brother of the notorious Jordan Montana, kill 45-year-old Dwayne Jenkins and his accomplice, 39-year-old Reid Richmond in service of Mann Co., two other co-workers, Jae Mundy and his boyfriend, Curtis Scott seen it with their own two eyes.**

"**It was horrible," Curtis tells us, "I hope I never see it again."**

"**I've never seen someone gutted like that… They were our friends," Jae admits.**

**It was told by bystanders in the motel's bar that they went out to prove the legend of Old Man Montana's forest a lie, but when they came back, they were accompanied by Black-Montana. Mann Co., a privately owned business, says to reporters, "(We) mourn their death, they were wonderful workers, we will never find anyone else like them ever again".**

**Police reports tell us that alcohol could have been involved for both men.**

**_11-1-62.**


End file.
